I am happy to report I have been able to cut and sew this fine weekend. Thank You to the rain! I made it possible for me to stay home after church and sew for several hours. I got my 9 patches finished and started the 4 patches. Unfortunately I have made a cutting error and will need to re-cut the fabric on those. I miss calculated by 1/2 inch but I can use the fabric in another part of the quilt. I am thinking I will but a scalloped keyboard edge on it and that will use up my miss-cuts. So two versions of 9 patches and a miss calculated 4 patch but at least I was doing a bit of quilting. It was nice to work on something I enjoyed rather than something I "needed" to do. So thank you Lord for a bit of rain. I'll take it.
This is version 2. Uses up all the fabric evenly which makes me a happy camper. I know it is sad but I like the fabric to get used. Most of the fabrics used are from he In the Beginning line called Happy. With a few odds and ends from other groups.
I really like this combo even if it is a bit off. There is great wording on the green patch (dream, hope, imagination, create, laugh, shine, play, inspire) fun positive words to encourage.
Not much time for quilting this week more than likely but I hope to stitch a few hours in the evenings. We will see....
Thanks for stopping by and visiting with me,
Pam
This has been the view of my dinning room table for the last week. I have this fun little quilt all laid out and ready to cut but I have been a bit busy with work, standard home stuff and a bit extra one night. The neighbors house across the street burned down. It was very sad to watch but they are dealing with it very well and hopefully the rebuild will begin soon. We have waived at them from across the street for a year and I was very embarrassed that it took their house catching fire and them standing in our yard for 6 hours watching to get to know them. They seem to be very nice people and it made me aware I have been a poor neighbor to not introduce myself. When we moved in a year ago all of the families came to greet us except them and I just assumed they were anti-social. I was so wrong, proving once again you should never assume. I will do better when they rebuild.
Sunday night before the whirlwind of this past week I was able to cut out 18 of the solid green swirling block for the quilt. It is a fun basic Moda print ( top corner by rotor cutter). Can you see the pinwheels, 4 square and, 9 patch blocks I have paired up? I just cannot wait to start and hopefully tomorrow will offer some time to play with the fabric and start sewing. Still not decided about the final size on this one, lap throw or bed quilt but it will be cheerful to build! I love working with bright fabrics.
I am hoping to work on some stitching at the lake this weekend as well. We finally got the added bathroom completed and now can settle the sleeping quarters upstairs and get everything in its place. The mini-remodel has taken way to long in my impatient world but I feel certain character was built. Not really sure whose but built none the less...
Hope everyone finds a little stitching/quilting time this weekend.
Pam
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This is a lovely waterfall inside Olympic Nation Park. I was able to travel to Washington state earlier this month for work and got to arrange for a free day to view the Park. The weather was fantastic there while we visited and it was a relaxing visit. What amazes me the most about the west coast of the US is that you can be standing and looking a the ocean and the snow covered mountains at the same time. We were able to see the stacks at the beach in the park.
We also were able to stand on Hurricane Ridge where the snow in the roads was still about 10 ft tall on the sides after the plow ran through it. Here I am standing at the top of Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Mountain in the back ground.
I got a bit of stitching finished on the airplane ride but the plane was packed and I gave up after a while. I was able to complete the camp piece from April. ( how long ago that seems now) I am saving the photo until I get the Glory House assembly completed. Hopefully this weekend will offer time for that. I was able to pick up another piece last night that is very nearly completed. Stitched a few hours on it until my eyes gave out for bedtime. No stitching or quilting photos in this post but hopefully soon. My mom is living at the lake for the summer. Still a bit more remodeling there before we can consider that a place to relax. We are having a half bath but in upstairs and it just seems to be taking forever. This is what happens when you can only get the work done of the weekends. I am so ready to have all the transitional stuff finished so I can get back to my stitching and quilting life. The dining room table is loaded down with the Batiks I plan to use for a quilt for my bed. I am ready to cut but need a block of time to get started.
Hope everyone had a great Memorial Holiday state side and took a minute to remember those who fought for the freedom we enjoy. The older I get the more humbled I am by those selfless people gave so much for our Country.
Happy stitching and thanks for stopping by,
Pam
Maybe we should start with desserts first. A friend loaned me a cupcake cookbook which had some great recipes and the bride to be loved the idea so I make about 90 different cupcakes(I had much lower attendance expectations than most of you) Strawberry, white chocolate and mocha latte were the 3 types she picked. The strawberry had the "c" initial for her new last name. The white chocolate had white chocolate shaves with silver sprinkles. The mocha latte had chocolate frosting with a second marscopone frosting and chocolate covered espresso beans with salted caramel drizzle. They were all great tasting and moist cupcakes. I had an antique cut glass punch bowl from my step-dads family that we had a delightful pink raspberry punch that looked great with the other colors.
This is the table before the food landed. I was able to uses the cut glass glasses that match the punch bowl as vases for roses from my neighbors yard. As many as you see there were still tons left in the yard. They have about 50 rose bushes in their yard.We had my great aunts silver punch bowl for a second punch serving. I think it helped cut out the congestion around the serving tables to split it up.
The entry table and sign in had hydrangea (also from neighbors yard. They have an amazing garden. I was able to use them in the living room in a couple more vases as well.
The menu included a cheese selection of Smoked Gouda, Cream Havarti and Sharp Cheddar. Fresh fruits ( melons, strawberries, kiwi, grapes, pineapple and blueberries) Homemade chicken salad and a spinach dip. Not really a traditional tea as I revolted against making those little sandwiches that get stale and pet-ti-fours but it was nice and the bride to be was thrilled. ( if she had insisted I would have of course made them for her but she was happy with the offerings) The grand total of attendance was 54 so I believe that makes Terri who guessed 61 the winner. Please send me your snail mail for your stitching prize!
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
This past weekend I was able to get a few stitches in on one of my camp pieces. This is glory house in progress. It will finish into a nice box for a summer piece. It will live at the lake with other patriotic goodies. I don't really have much in the way of patriotic stuff in the house so we will load up the lake place with theses style goodies. We are close to finishing the work up there so we can enjoy the cabin for the summer. My mom plans to live there during the summer and stay with us during the winter. We worked yesterday there after church. It is really a small spot about an hour away but feels like you are days away when you get on the water and relax. When we get the work completed I'll post some photos. Mostly I am happy to have found a few minutes of stitching time. It is just amazing to me how much less stressed I am when I can either quilt or stitch for a couple of hours.
I will have to break down and clean this week, my house is going to be a host house of a tea for a close family friend. We have been friends with them for over 10 years and it is so fun to see the oldest start the next phase of her life. It has been fun planning and hopefully I can get a few photos in before the chaos begins. So here is my idea for a give-a-way. We sent 116 invitations. The person who picks closest to the actual number of people who attend will win a prize! I'll announce the winner Sunday after the grand event if I'm still standing.
Have a good week and happy stitching,
Pam
I finally got the binding on my second quilt. I think it turned out nice and I cannot wait to send it to the recipient. This is a question for you quilters. Do you name your quilts? I have noticed several people seem to name them by pattern or content. Because this one has the Beatitudes incorporated into the blocks I am going to call it the Beatitudes quilt. I guess you could also name them for the recipient if it is a gift. I have a batik square dance pattern waiting in the wings. Teresa and I shopped for the fabric when we went to Tulsa for the SN camp. They have so many quilt stores for the size of town. I was amazed at how many options people have there.
We can post the pictures of the Spring/Easter exchange I participated in from Stitched with Love Exchanges There is a new one just posted if any of you are interested and join in the fun.
This is the fun spring stuff from June to me. I had just sent my green poka dot scissors away in a RAK a month or so ago even though I just loved them. They came back to me! Great buttons, fabrics and ribbons to finish. A lamb for sugar cookies or biscuits and book mark calendar and of course..... Chocolate! Sadly the Cadbury Caramel Egg was eaten by one of my pets.... I was saving it for a special moment or crisis which ever came first. It was on my counter high table in the kitchen and while I was working in the bedroom I believe the larger animal leaned into the table to abduct it. :(
This is all that remained... a cyclops egg cover with frayed ends. It was so cute when it arrived I had been protecting it I thought from all the varmints in my house (DH, DS and 4 dogs) I failed but was spared 190 calories.
I stitched a design called April showers for Janet and sent some stitching goodies.
Thanks for stopping by and spending a few minutes of your day.
Happy stitching,
Pam
This is the lake view from camp. I keep thinking if I look at it I will somehow find time to stitch again. I have been back for 11 days and have not been able to stitch since. I barely unpacked by stitching goodies. I have a exchange both sent and received I cannot show. I finish in dire need of ironing before it can be viewed. Another ready for assembly before it can be seen. A quilt waiting for binding before it can be seen. I think you are all getting the lack of picture.... Mom has been at my house since I got back. The lake place is still needing a little remodel before she can nest in up there and she wanted to leave her house once it went on the market. Very understandable after 35 years there. We are making some headway on getting the mountains of stuff settled and her better in place. Surely next week will normalize and I can stitch again...
Thanks for stopping by,
Pam
